2008 TOYOTA YARIS Complaints

ENERGY LEVEL IN BATTERY WAS SUFFICIENT TO START YARIS BUT INSUFFICIENT TO KEEP/GET THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING MOTOR TO OPERATE CORRECTLY. RESULT: MY 80 YEAR OLD WIFE WAS ABLE TO GET OUT PARKING LOT BUT AFTER SHE TRIED TO MAKE RIGHT HAND TURN SHE ENDED UP IN ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANE, FORTUNATELY 2 CARS WERE ABLE TO SWIRL TO THEIR RIGHT HAND SIDE, HENCE COLLISION WAS AVOIDED. ALTERNATOR MUST HAVE KICK IN BECAUSE POWER STEERING STARTED TO WORK AGAIN. EVENT OCCURRED IN MEXICO. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA YARIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ENGINE HARNESS WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT DID NOT HAVE THE HARNESS REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,383. UPDATED 9/4/13 *CN

PURCHASED 2008 TOYOTA YARIS SEDAN USED IN 7/09 FOR MY DAUGHTER WITH 16,000 MILES ON IT. SHE'S AT COLLEGE SO I DRIVE IT EVERY OTHER DAY TO WORK WHICH IS ONLY 10 MILES. I BEGAN TO NOTICE A SOUND WHEN I MADE A SHARP RIGHT HAND TURN INTO A PARKING SPOT LIKE THE NOISE OF AN ACTUAL BAR AND ALSO A RATTLE IF I WENT OVER A SMALL DIP IN THE ROAD. I WAS TOLD IT NEEDED NEW TIRES ON 10/12/12 @ 29,645 MILES, I BOUGHT GOOD,SAFE TIRES:GOODYEAR EAGLE LS TIRES 185/60R15. ON 5/10/13 I HAD HER CAR SERVICED AT TOYOTA: OIL CHANGE, TIRES ROTATED, INSPECTION OF AIR FILTER, BALL JOINTS, ETC. AFTERWARDS, AS I WAS DRIVING MY DAUGHTER AND I UP TO MY SON'S COLLEGE GRADUATION IT WAS 80 DEGREES/SUNNY/CLEAR ROADS. 52 MILES INTO OUR TRIP I WAS IN THE SLOW LANE FOLLOWING TRAFFIC AT 65 MPH.WATCHING THE ROAD, BOTH HANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE STEERING WHEEL JERKED TO THE LEFT AND WE BEGAN TO GO INTO A SKID.I WAS AVOIDING OTHER CARS AS I WAS TRYING TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE YARIS. IT WAS BUCKLING UNDER ME EACH TIME I TRIED TO CAREFULLY GET US OUT OF THE SKIDS.MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE BRAKE BUT I HAD CAREFULLY PULLED IT OFF OF THE ACCELERATOR AND I REMEMBER THINKING WHY WASN'T THE CAR SLOWING DOWN, IT JUST KEPT SKIDDING. AFTER THE 4TH SKID IT WENT INTO A COMPLETE 180 DEGREE SPIN WITH US SLAMMING INTO THE CEMENT MEDIAN.I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES AS WE WENT TOWARD THE WALL. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 35 YRS WITH NO ACCIDENTS AND I HAVE BEEN IN SKIDS BEFORE, ON ICY ROADS & REGAINED CONTROL. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE STEERING TO MALFUNCTION. I HAVE READ ABOUT FAULTY BOLTS ON THE CONTROL ARM. THE AUTO REPAIR SHOP DID TELL ME THEY REPLACED THE STABILIZER BAR.I HAVE NOTICED SINCE THE REPAIR THE NOISE UNDER THE CAR IS GONE AND THE THROTTLE NO LONGER "SCREAMS" WHEN I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE GAS GOING DOWNHILLS. WE WERE NOT SPEEDING, NOR DRIVING CARELESSLY. THIS CAR DOES NOT HAVE ABS NOR ANTI-SPIN BRAKES. *TR

THE CHARCOAL CANISTER ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED WHICH IS PART OF THE EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM. THE COST WAS $996.00. *TR

DRIVING VEHICLE ON CITY STREETS, AND ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE. BRAKE AND ABS CAME ON, AND ABS SYSTEM ENGAGED. ROAD CONDITIONS WERE DRY, WEATHER WAS WARM AND SUNNY. ABS ENGAGEMENT MADE IT DIFFICULT TO COME TO COMPLETE STOP, EVEN THOUGH ROAD CONDITIONS WERE DRY. SINCE INITIAL INCIDENT, ABS SYSTEM COMES ON PERIODICALLY WHILE DRIVING AND WHILE BRAKING. TOYOTA HAS DENIED ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR REPAIRS, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE THAT NUMEROUS YARIS OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED. LATER MODELS FOR THE YARIS HAVE HAD THE ABS DESIGN FIXED TO PREVENT THIS ISSUE FROM HAPPENING. *TR

WHEN THE IGNITION TURNS ON THE CAR PASSES THE INITIAL SAFETY CHECKS. BUT WHEN DRIVING THE " WARNING LIGHT THAT THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG HAS FAILED " COMES ON. TOYOTA DOES NOT CURRENTLY HAVE ANY RECALL ON THIS DEFECT. BUT APPARENTLY THE DEALERSHIP KEEPS THE FAILED PART IN STOCK. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA YARIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, HE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND IT SLID INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE CONTACT STATED ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE FRONT END OF HIS VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW YARD. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HIS BACK, NECK, LEFT ELBOW, AND LEFT KNEE. THE CONTACT ALSO SUSTAINED AN INJURY TO HIS LIP AND CHIN WHEN HE STRUCK THE STEERING WHEEL. THE POLICE REPORTED TO THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,706. *TR

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON. AT THE SAME TIME THE ABS FELT LIKE THEY ENGAGED. AFTER RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM ONLINE I FOUND OUT THAT MANY USERS IN THE US AND CANADA ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM DUE TO FAULTY ABS WHEEL SPEED SENSORS ON THE WHEEL HUB. DUE TO THE SALT ON THE ROADS DURING THE WINTER MONTHS, SALT CAN ENTER THE SENSOR AND CORRODE THE TERMINALS. THIS IS DUE TO A POOR SEAL BETWEEN THE CONNECTOR AND THE WIRING HARNESS. WHEN SALT WATER ENTERS THE TERMINALS IT CAUSES THE ABS TO ACT UP. THIS IS TRUE FOR 2007 AND 2008 MODELS ACCORDING TO OTHER YARIS USERS. IT SEEMS THAT THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF IN 2009 MODELS. BUT FOR OWNERS OF 2008 AND 2007 MODELS PROBLEM EXISTS EVEN AFTER REPLACING THE SENSOR AND WIRING HARNESS WITH NEW ONES. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN SINCE THE ABS SYSTEM CAN ENGAGE AT ANY TIME POSSIBLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT AND/OR INJURY TO THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA YARIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS AND AIR BAG WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY BUT MOST RECENTLY, BOTH WARNING LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC PERFORMED, WHICH LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE ABS SENSOR AND THE AIR BAG SPIRAL CABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 61,529. ...UPDATED 04-03-13 *BF

AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND HAS NOT TURNED OFF. INITIALLY IT WOULD BE INTERMITTENT, NOW IT'S CONTINOUS. *TR